Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

278ANOTHER CONVERSATION

myself in a retired eorner of the room where he might be, without his obliging me to approach and talk with him.

On seeing me enter the ball-room, he said, ' What have you seen this morning ? '

u Sire, I have been visiting the Cabinet of Natural History, and the famous Mammoth of Siberia.'

'It is an object unequalled, in its kind, in the world.'

' Yes, sire ; there are many things in Russia that ¦ire not to be seen elsewhere.'

' You flatter me.'

' I respect your majesty too much to dare to flatter; but perhaps, sire, I do not fear you sufficiently ; and I therefore ingenuously speak my thoughts, when even truth appears like compliment.'

' This is a delicate compliment, monsieur: you strangers spoil us.'

' Sire, your majesty was pleased to desire that I should be at my ease with you, and you have succeeded, as in every thing else that you undertake. Your majesty has cured me, for a time at least, of my natural timidity.'

Obliged to avoid all allusion to the great political interests of the day, I wished to lead the conversation towards a subject which interested me quite as much; I added, therefore, ' Each time that I am permitted to approach your majesty, I recognise the power which caused your enemies to fall at your feet on the day that your majesty ascended the throne.'

' In your country there are prejudices entertained against us, which are more difficult to triumph over than the passions of a revolted army.'

WITH THE EMPEROR.

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' Sire, you are seen from too great a distance : if your majesty were better known you would be better appreciated, and would find among us, as well as here, abundance of admirers. The commencement of your majesty's reign has already called forth just praises: it was also equally, or even yet more highly lauded at the time of the cholera; for in this second insurrection your majesty displayed the same authority, but tempered with the most generous devotion to the cause of humanity. Energy has never failed you. sire, in times of danger.'

' The moments of which you recall the recollection have been, doubtless, the best in my life ; nevertheless, they have appeared to me as the most frightful.'

' I can well understand that, sire ; to subdue nature

in ourselves and in others requires an effort'

' An effort which is terrible,' interrupted the emperor, with an energy which startled me, ' and one that is felt long after.'

' Yes; but there is the consolation of having acted heroically.'

' I have not acted heroically. I only performed my part: in such circumstances none can tell what he will say. We run into the clanger, without previously inquiring how we are to get out of it.'

' It was God who inspired you, sire; and if two so dissimilar things as poetry and government may be compared, I should say that you acted in the same way that poets sing, in listening to the voice from above.'

' There was no poetry in that action.'

I could perceive that my comparison had not appeared flattering, because it had not been under-

280ANOTHER CONVERSATION

stood in the sense of the Latin poet. At court they are in the habit of viewing poetry as merely an exhibition of wit; and it would have been necessary to have launched into a discussion to prove that it is the purest and most brilliant light that irradiates the soul. I therefore preferred remaining silent; but the emperor, being unwilling, doubtless, to leave me under the regret of having displeased him, detained me yet further, to the great astonishment of the court, and resumed the conversation with a kindness that was very gratifying. ' What is your decided plan of route ? ' he asked.

' Sire, after the fete at Peterhoff, I propose leaving for Moscow, from whence I wish to proceed to Nijni, to see the fair, and to return to Moscow before the arrival of your majesty.'

' So much the better: I shall be glad for you to examine, in detail, my works at the Kremlin. My residence there was too small, I am therefore building another more suitable; and I will explain to you myself all my plans for the embellishment of this part of Moscow, which we view as the cradle of the empire. But you have no time to lose, for you have immense distances to travel over — the distances ! these are the curse of Russia.'

' Do not, sire, regret them : they form the canvas of pictures that are to be filled up ; elsewhere the earth is too confined for the inhabitants; but it will never fail your majesty.'

Ci The time fails me.'

' You have the future.'

ie They little know me who reproach my ambition: far from seeking to extend our territory, I am desi-

WITH THE EMPEROR.281

rous of drawing closer around me the entire population of Russia. It is simply over misery and barbarism that I wish to achieve conquests: to ameliorate the condition of the Russians would be more gratifying than to aggrandise myself. If you knew what an amiable people the Russians are ! how gentle, and how naturally polite! You will see them at Peterhoff; but it is here, on the first of January, that I would have especially desired to show them to you.' Then, returning to his favourite theme, he continued: ' But it is not easy to render one's self worthy of governing such a people.'

' Your majesty has already done much for Russia.'

' I fear sometimes that I have not done all that might have been effected.'

This Christian speech came from the depths of the heart, and affected me even to tears: it made so much impression on me that I said to myself, The emperor has quicker perceptions than I; and if he had any motive for saying this he would have felt greater difficulty in saying it. He has, then, only betrayed a beautiful and noble sentiment, the scruple of a conscientious king. This cry of humanity uttered by a mind which every thing must contribute to render proud, touched my heart. We were in public. and I endeavoured to hide my feeling; the emperor, who answers to what is thought more than to what is said, (and in this sagacity lies the great charm of his conversation, as well as the potency of his influence,) perceiving the impression which he had produced, and which I attempted to disguise, approached me at the moment of parting, took my

282AHISTOCKAY THE ONLY

hand with an air of kindness, and pressing it, said, Au revoir.'

The emperor is the only man in the empire with whom one may talk without fear of informers; he is also the only one in whom I have as yet recognised natural sentiments and sincere Ian2;ua2`e. If I lived in this country, and had a secret to conceal, I should begin by confiding it to him.

If he has, as I think, more pride than vanity, more dignity than arrogance, the general impression of the various portraits I have successively traced of him, and especially the effect his conversation produced on me, ought